In a thrilling UEFA Champions League clash on Wednesday, Inter Milan emerged victorious against Arsenal with a 1-0 scoreline, thanks to Hakan Calhanoglu's impeccable penalty conversion.
Calhanoglu extended his flawless penalty record, successfully converting his 19th penalty since joining Inter. The decisive moment came just before halftime when Arsenal's Mikel Merino was penalized for a harsh handball, allowing Calhanoglu to slot the ball past Arsenal's goalkeeper David Raya.
Despite neither team having conceded a goal in their first three Champions League matches, Arsenal's defense finally found breach in a controversial call. Arsenal's second half was marked by relentless attacks, with Kai Havertz narrowly missed by home keeper Yann Sommer and another effort going wide after a deflection. However, Inter's robust defense held firm, accumulating 10 points from four games.
Arsenal, under Mikel Arteta, dominated possession with 14 goal attempts in the second half but struggled to create clear scoring opportunities, leaving them outside the top eight automatic qualifiers for the knockout phase with seven points.
The match, the first between the two clubs in 21 years, started with Inter taking the lead when Denzil Dumfries launched a powerful shot that hit the crossbar. The game became more tactical as both sides played cautiously, avoiding unnecessary risks.
Despite Arsenal's dominance in the second half, their inability to capitalize on key opportunities underscored their struggles in the competition, having won only two of their last six games across all competitions. A glimmer of hope for Arsenal fans was the return of captain Martin Odegaard, who came off the bench after a prolonged injury absence, adding depth to the squad.
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Calhanoglu scores penalty to give Inter Milan victory over Arsenal
cgtn.com
